UK - Change to nationalities exempt from IED charge

The Home Office has announced that from 1 May 2004, three new countries will be added to the list of countries whose nationals are exempt from the charge for Immigration Employment Documents (IED) (work permit) applications. These countries are:

Albania

Armenia

Croatia

It has been realised that these countries are indeed signatories to the Council of Europe Charter or the Social Charter when this IED charge was introduced on 1 April 2003. These countries were never included on the original list of exemptions, and Armenia should have been included on this list from 1 March 2004.

Those employers, individuals or representatives who have been charged incorrectly will be refunded in full by the end of June 2004.

The Association of Independent Professionals (IPSE) that campaigns for more restrictions on immigrant workers has welcomed recent changes to the UK's Tier 2 visa system. IPSE said that it is 'pleased...